Bilateral refractory pneumothorax treated by pleurodesis and bronchial occlusion in a COVID‐19 patient

Abstract

Abstract Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) has become a worldwide outbreak, and it can cause various symptoms and complications. However, pneumothorax secondary to COVID‐19 is relatively uncommon. We herein report a 60‐year‐old man with bilateral refractory pneumothorax with severe COVID‐19. In patients with poor general health and who are difficult to undergo surgery for pneumothorax post‐COVID‐19, internal treatments such as chest drainage, bronchial occlusion, and pleurodesis are essential to relieving refractory pneumothorax. It also indicates that autologous blood patch pleurodesis is a useful method in terms of efficacy and side effects.

Keywords

• bilateral pneumothorax
• bronchial occlusion
• chest drainage
• COVID‐19
• pleurodesis